Apparatus for the operation of flying cut-off devices



Jan. 24, 1967 w, J SCHUMACHER ET AL 3,299,757

OFF DEVICES APPARATUS FOR THE OPERATION OF FLYING CUT- 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.

Jan. 24, 1967 w. J. SCHUMACHER T AL 3,299,757

APPARATUS FOR THE OPERATION OF FLYING CUT-OFF DEVICES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1959 Jan. 24, 1967 w, J SCHUMACHER ETAL 3,299,757

APPARATUS FOR THE OPERATION OF FLYING CUT-OFF DEVICES Filed Dec. 24, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TORS:

Jan. 24, 1967 w, J SCHUMACHER ET AL 3,299,757

APPARATUS FOR THE OPERATION OF FLYING CUT-OFF DEVICES Filed Dec. 24, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I (l IN V EN TORS nte 3,2%,757 Patented Jan. 24, 1967 3,299,757 APPARATUS FGR THE OPERATION OF FLYING CUT-OFF DEVICES William J. Schumacher, Chicago, Richard D. Hill, Glen Ellyn, and Maurice Hill, Eirnhurst, IlL, assignors to Hill Tool and Engineering (10., a partnership Filed Dec. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 861,793

2 Claims. (Cl. 83-293) This invention relates to cut-off devices and in particular to flying cut-ofii devices.

Cold roll forming machines have been developed for forming a wide variety of shapes including rounded and straight sections. A well-known example of such a roll formed product is electric welded tubing which may be formed substantially more economically by the roll forming process than by the extruding process. Modern roll forming machines have been developed which are capable of producing such products at substantial linear speeds such as up to 250 feet per minute.

While such increased speeds permit substantial reductions in the cost of the roll formed product, they have introduced a problem which has not heretofore been satisfactorily solved. More specifically, conventionally as the roll formed product is delivered from the forming machinery, it is cut into predetermined lengths by an associated cut-off device. It is desirable to limit the tolerances of the cut-off lengths to no greater than 6 inch. Control devices such as flying trip switches have been found to produce errors of up to 4 inch at such high speeds and, thus, are unsatisfactory in such applications.

A substantially more accurate method of controlling the cut-off is to provide a length stop which is physically engaged by the end of the roll formed element, or work, at a preselected point in its travel and which is connected to the cut-off die to move the die directly with the work so that, when the die cuts transversely through the Work, it is moving directly therewith and at an accurately predetermined distance from the leading end.

The use of the length stop, however, has also been found to be unsatisfactory at the desirable higher speeds of operation. It has been found that the work tends to buckle and, thus, destroys the accuracy of the cut-off during such operations, particularly where the weight of the cut-off die appreciably exceeds 50 pounds. The use of two or more dies for performing concurrent operations such as notching and cut-01f has been effectively precluded by this inability of the work to accelerate the substantial weight thereof without buckling. Further, the substantial shock delivered to the die by the striking of the work end against the stop has required the use of substantial, rigid dies aggravating the weight problem.

The instant invention comprehends a new and improved method and apparatus for effecting cut-off of such roll formed work capable of operating at high speeds and with cut-off dies having substantial weight While maintaining desired low tolerances in length of the cut-off portions. It is, therefore, a principal feature of the instant invention to provide a new and improved cut-off apparatus.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a cut-off apparatus including means for moving the cut-off die in the direction of travel of the work at a speed slightly less than the speed of travel of the work, means engageable by the work at a preselected point in its travel arranged to move the moving die directly with the Work, and means operating the die to cut through the work during such movement of the die directly with the Work.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a cut-off apparatus including a cut-off die juxtaposed to the path of travel of the work and movable parallel to that path between a starting position and a final position,

powered means for moving the die from the starting position to a transfer position short of the final position, the powered means accelerating the die to a speed at the transfer position slightly less than the speed of travel of the work, means arranged to be positively associated with the work at a preselected point in its travel to move the die from the transfer position to the final position directly with the work, and means operating the die to cut through the work during movement from the transfer position to the final position.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of such a cut-off apparatus having new and improved means for accelerating the die smoothly away from the starting position to have the desired speed at the transfer position slightly less than the speed of travel of the work.

Yet another feature of the invention is the provision of such a cut-off apparatus having new and improved means for permitting free lateral translation of the length of work subsequent to the cut-off operation.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention for cutting off lengths of roll formed work, a roll forming machine associated therewith being shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation thereof illustrating the position of the cut-off die at the end of the cut-off operation;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation illustrating a portion of the apparatus in greater detail;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged end elevation thereof looking from the left-hand end as seen in FIG. 3, a portion thereof being broken away for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, more greatly enlarged side elevation of the portion of the apparatus coacting with the end of the work;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 illustrating a first step in the cut-off operation;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 illustrating a second step in a cut-off operation;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 illustrating a third step in a cut-off operation;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 illustrating a fourth step in a cut-off operation;

FIG. 10 is a section taken substantially along the line 1010 of FIG. 4 illustrating the arrangement of the winding drum and cable at the beginning of the die moving operation;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to that of FIG. 10 illustrating a subsequent arrangement thereof; and

FIG. 12 is a view similar to that of FIG. 10 illustrating a further subsequent arrangement thereof.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, a cut-off apparatus generally designated 10 is associated with a roll forming machine of conventional construction, generally designated 11, to cut-off, in preselected lengths, elongate work 12 delivered continuously at a substantial speed from machinery 11. Work 12 herein comprises roll formed electric welded tubing although it may comprise other elongate work such as any of the substantially unlimited number of different roll formed elements capable of being produced in such roll forming machines. Cut-off apparatus 10 includes a cut-off machine 13 which may be of conventional construction and which includes a die 14 carried on a support 15 to move with work 12 during the timedie 14-is cutting through the work. This type of flying cut-off is conventional in the art and the present invention is concerned with means for controlling the movement of the support 15 and die 14 to provide an improved, accurate cut-of of the work with such cut-off means.

More specifically, cut-off apparatus includes a control generally designated 16 including a table 17 carried on a frame 18 and supporting the outboard end of the work during the cut-off operation. Cut-off control 16 includes a pull rod 19 connected at one end 20 to die 14 and at its opposite end 21 to a flexible moving means comprising a pair of cables 22. The cables are connected to a winding cylinder, or drum, 23 selectively driven by a magnetic clutch 24 from a drive motor 25 through a belt drive 26. Motor 25 and belt drive 26 operate continuously so that when magnetic clutch 24 is energized, rotation of drum 23, in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 1, is effected in approximately .07 second to initiate winding of cable end 27 about the drum. The resultant pull on cables 22 urges rod 19 to the left as seen in FIG. 1, initiating movement of die 14 from the position of FIG. 1 toward the position of FIG. 2. The energization of clutch 24 is effected by a control switch 27 having asensing element 28 engaged by the outboard end 29 of work 12. Switch 27 is carried on a support bar 30 extending horizontally toward cut-off machine 13 from a support block 31 fixedly clamped to pull rod 19 by means such as bolts 32.

Thus, in the first phase of operation of control 16, die 14 is accelerated from a starting position of rest, as shown in FIG. 1, toward a final position as shown in FIG. 2. If, however, the entire control of the die movement were thusly effected by switch 27, errors up to inch at :high speeds of travel of work 12 might occur in the cut-off effected by die 14. To eliminate such errors, control 16 further includes means for causing die 14 to move directly with the work 12 and accurately at a preselected distance from work end 29. More specifically, control 16 further includes a second control switch 33 having a sensing device 34 engaged by work end 29 subsequent to its engagement of sensing device 28 of switch 27. Switch 33 is fixed on support bar 30 to the left of switch 27 as seen in FIG. 7. The relatively higher speed of work 12 causes work end 29 to move beyond sensing element 28 to sensing element 34 notwithstanding the concurrent leftward movement of pull rod 19 at this time. The operation of switch 33 actuates cut-off machine 13'to initiate the downward movement of die 14.

At this point in the operation of out-off apparatus 10, the die 14 is moving parallel to work 12 at a speed slightly less than the speed of the work. The slightly greater speed of the work 12 causes end 29 to advance relative to pull rod 19 and abut a length stop 35 carried on support block 31. The length stop is movably carried on block 31 by means of a pivot 36, being normally held against pivotal movement by a latch 37 operated by a solenoid 38. Latch 37 includes a finger 39 selectively engaging a shoulder 40 on length stop 35 to retain the length stop in the position of FIG. 5 while the solenoid 38 is de-energized, and move from engagement with shoulder 41 to permit clockwise pivoting of the length stop 35, as shown in FIG. 9, when solenoid 38 is energized. When work end 29 abuts length stop 35, as seen in FIG. 8, a slight additional acceleration of pull rod 19 results causing the pull rod and die 14 secured thereto to move directly with work 12. As only a small additional force need be imparted to 'pull rod 19 to cause the die to move directly with the work 12, buckling of work 12 is substantially eliminated while yet a substantial weight of the cut-off die or the use of a plurality of cut-01f dies is permitted. Conversely a substantially higher speed may be attained with a given die weight.

The point at which the work end 29 engages stop 35 may be considered a transfer position in the operation of cut-off apparatus 10 as it comprises the position where movement of the die 14 is changed from a power acceleration to a positive work-efiected acceleration. During movement of the die between the transfer position and the final position, the die, which had previously begun its downward movement, engages and cuts through the work 12 to complete the cut-off of the preselected length.

As the subsequent portion of work 12 being delivered from roll forming machine 11 continues to move forwardly directly behind the cut-off length, it is desirable to permit a continued forward movement of the cut-off length on table 17 subsequent to the completion of the cut-off operation, during which movement a lateral translation of the cut-off length may be effected to remove it from the table. This is accomplished by the energization of solenoid 38 through a control switch 41 carried on cut-off machine 13 and operated by die 14 at a preselected point in the forward travel thereof. Thus, as seen in FIG. 9, the energization of solenoid 38 removes finger 39 from engagement with shoulder 40 of length stop 35 and permits work end 29 to pivot the length stop and move thereunder to the position of FIG. 9. If desired, aswitch 42 may be secured to pull rod 19 to the left of support block 31, as seen in FIG. 1, to be engaged by work end 29 and effect a table dumping operation by suitable conventional mechanism, not shown. When the cut length moves from under the sensing elements 28 and 29 and the length stop 35, the sensing elements and length stop automatically return to the starting position of FIG. 5. Die 14 is spring biased back to the starting position of FIG. 1 and is automatically retracted. The cutoff apparatus is now ready for a subsequent similar operation in effecting a cut-off of the subsequent length of work 12.

To reduce the shock in initiating the movement of die 14 from the starting position, cables 22 are connected to winding drum 23 at the portion 43 of the winding drum which is closest to the die as measured along the cables and pull rod 19 when the die is in the starting position of FIG. 1. Thus, as the drum rotates in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 11, the end 27 of the cables has a movement substantially more laterally than longitudinally, thereby effecting an extremely smooth and gradual acceleration. When the drum portion 43 moves to the position of FIG. 11 wherein the cables 22 are substantially tangent to the drum, the longitudinal movement of the cables is maximum and remains at this maximum speed as the drum rotates from the position of FIG. 11 to the position of FIG. 12. As discussed above, this maximum speed is slightly less than the speed of the travelling work; illustratively, where the work is travelling at a speed of 250 feet per minute, the maximum longitudinal movement of the cables and pull rod 19 may be approximately 230 feet per minute.

As the die is smoothly accelerated to the transfer position without slippage of the clutch, the transfer point is accurately fixed permitting the length stop to be positioned to be contacted by the work substantially at the instant that the maximum speed effected by the motor drive is reached. As the total travel of the die is, thus, effectively minimized, more rapid cycling may be effected while yet high accuracy in the cut may be maintained.

To facilitate operation of control 16, the level of frame 18 'may be adjusted by suitable adjustable supports 44. The motor, drive, and winding drum apparatus may be carried on a suitable shelf 45 in frame 18. A pulley 46 may be secured at the end of a support arm 47 to guide cables 22 into alignment with pull rod 19 at end connection 21 and table 17 may be provided with suitable slide supports 48 for facilitated longitudinal movement of the pull rod 19. A standard 49 may be secured to table 17 for bringing wires 50 to solenoid 38 for electrical control thereof.

In recapitulation, work end 29 in moving along the table 17 first strikes the sensing element 28 of switch 27 which initiates operation of the winding drum 23 to effect a powered acceleration of the die parallel to the travelling work. The work end next engages sensing element 34 of switch 33 to initiate downward movement of die 14. The Work end 29 next abuts length stop 35 which is accurately positioned on pull rod 19 by means of support block 31 to effect a positive acceleration of the die for direct movement with the work. The die continues its downward movement while moving directly with the work to cut through the work and assure a highly accurate cut-off of the work length. The moving die next operates switch 41 to energize solenoid 38 and release the length stop permitting the cut length to continue its forward movement as the subsequent portion of work 12 continues to advance from the roll forming machine 11. The cut length then moves laterally from table 17, the control switches and length stop are restored to the position of FIG. 1 and the cut-off apparatus is aranged for a subsequent similar cycle.

While we have shown and described one embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for cutting-off travelling work, comprising: a cut-01f die juxtaposed to the path of travel of the work and movable parallel to said path between a starting position and a final position; powered means for moving the die from the starting position to a transfer position short of the final position, said powered means comprising a cylinder, flexible means connecting the die to a portion of the cylinder, and means for rotating the cylinder to wind the flexible means onto the cylinder and draw the die in the direction of travel of the work for accelerating the die slowly away from the starting position to have a speed at the transfer position slightly different from the 6 speed of travel of the work; means for moving the die from the transfer position to the final position directly with the work; and means for operating the die to ,cut through the work substantially only during the movement from the transfer position to the final position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for rotating the cylinder includes a constant speed drive and means for substantially instantaneously clutching the cylinder to the drive to initiate the winding of the flexible means thereonto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,413,191 4/1922 Roland 83-308 1,549,429 8/ 1925 Bartlett. 1,619,975 3/1927 Hawkins. 1,626,878 5/1927 Seymour 83-293 1,698,250 1/1929 Adams 83-293 1,698,264 1/1929 Hawkins 83-292 1,800,005 4/1931 Braun 82-294 1,944,718 1/1934 Rafter 83-293 2,209,995 8/ 1940 Morris. 2,341,870 2/1944 Johnson 83-293 2,540,166 2/1951 Frank et al. 83-320 2,675,076 4/ 1954 Billetter 83-294 2,737,703 3/1956 Van Clief 83-308 ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

ARTHUR B. MILLER, CARL W. TOMLIN,

WILLIAM W. DYER, Examiners.

R. M. HALVORSEN, T. F. CALLAGHAN,

H. C. BOURNE, Assistant Examiners. 

1. APPARATUS FOR CUTTING-OFF TRAVELLING WORK, COMPRISING: A CUT-OFF DIE JUXTAPOSED TO THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF THE WORK AND MOVABLE PARALLEL TO SAID PATH BETWEEN A STARTING POSITION AND A FINAL POSITION; POWERED MEANS FOR MOVING THE DIE FROM THE STARTING POSITION TO A TRANSFER POSITION SHORT OF THE FINAL POSITION, SAID POWERED MEANS COMPRISING A CYLINDER, FLEXIBLE MEANS CONNECTING THE DIE TO A PORTION OF THE CYLINDER, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING THE CYLINDER TO WIND THE FLEXIBLE MEANS ONTO THE CYLINDER AND DRAW THE DIE IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE WORK FOR ACCELERATING THE DIE SLOWLY AWAY FROM THE STARTING POSITION TO HAVE A SPEED AT THE TRANSFER POSITION SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE SPEED OF TRAVEL OF THE WORK; MEANS FOR MOVING THE DIE FROM THE TRANSFER POSITION TO THE FINAL POSITION DIRECTLY WITH THE WORK; AND MEANS FOR OPERATING THE DIE TO CUT THROUGH THE WORK SUBSTANTIALLY ONLY DURING THE MOVEMENT FROM THE TRANSFER POSITION TO THE FINAL POSITION. 